Two Makerere University officials including a Registrar are in police custody on charges of abuse office and gross misconduct.
Those arrested are Margaret Etuusa, the Deputy Registrar in charge of Certificates and Ceremonies Division and Dorothy Kabanda, an administrative assistant in the same office.
The two were picked from their offices in the Senate Building at around 11am by non-uniformed police men who, according to our sources, are attached to Kibuli-based Criminal Investigations Unit.
SP Vincent Sekatte, the CID spokesperson however denied having knowledge of the development. He asked for two hours to verify the information.
Charles Ssentongo, the deputy University Academic Registrar in charge of undergraduate admissions, who is currently the acting Academic Registrar, confirmed the arrests.
In a phone interview, Ssentongo said; “I am aware but the right person to speak about it is the PRO.”
When our reporter insisted having been referred to him by the PRO, Ssentongo said: “I don’t have more information. I only saw things happen. Maybe the academic registrar has the details.”
We have not been able to confirm the location where the duo was taken after they were arrested but understand that police has been carrying out in-depth investigations into the alleged misconduct and abuse office by outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor John Ddumba Ssentamu and Margaret Etuusa, on the request by the Makerere University Convocation-MUC.
In a May 31st letter Dr. Tanga Odoi, the MUC Chairperson appealed to the Director for Criminal Investigations, Grace Akullo, to investigate the duo for gross misconduct.
Professor Ddumba is due to hand over office of vice chancellor this week after holding it for five years.
Etuusa, a non-member of the Procurement and Disposal Unit of Makerere University, is accused of soliciting quotations for the procurement of goods, works and services that were in the 64th, 65th, 66th and 67th graduation ceremonies which was contrary to the PPDA regulations of 2014.
Etuusa was suspended in March this year on accusations of illegally hiring Exxon Contractors, a private company, to keep people’s gadgets during graduation. The company reportedly fleeced parents and graduands during the 67th graduation ceremonies at the university under the guise of securing their mobile phones and other gadgets. The company charged Shillings 3,000 for each gadget placed under its custody.
Etuusa petitioned High Court challenging her suspension, saying she was never given a chance to defend herself. She asked court to reinstate and grant her an interim injunction blocking the university from pursuing any further disciplinary action against her. Court ruled in her favour and asked the university to reinstate her pending the disposal of her application.
